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Michel Aflak |
The National Front
What we want to say about the function of the army is that the military should
not be involved in the tasks of leadership of the party or of the government.
The division should be tight, that is, it should be confined to the minimum
necessary in every sound liberation movement. In other words, the division
should differentiate between the overwhelming majority of the children of the
homeland, who, have in common, whatever their different likes and dislikes, and
interests and interpretation, share a national brotherhood and have a common one
supreme interest in the protection of the survival of the nation and the
security of the homeland and its independence on the one hand and the small
number of stooges, agents and hirelings of the enemies of the country on the
other. This kind of division we not only accept but also demand and make a
condition. The important thing is that we should not let anybody follow
imperialism and act against the interest of the people and the homeland merely
through lack of consciousness and lack of clarity in the liberation objectives,
and for the emergence of unjustifiable and unreasonable illusions and fears.
Such fears will give imperialism the opportunity to exploit and corrupt.
(Let us unify the leadership of the Arab struggle, May
17, 1957)
The principal and final objective of the present stage, which is the liberation
from imperialism, is not one that anybody can contest. But the seriousness of
this objective depends on the path we choose to attain it, and on the
fundamental guarantees, which define the correctness of that path and
consequently the truthfulness of the adoption of that objective. The guarantees
are first, the defense of the political freedom and the constitutional
conditions second, the work for Arab unity in all possible fields and third, the
realization of necessary social reforms to raise the people’s standard of
living. This is what the parties and groups can agree on and cooperate for in
one Arab popular front.
(Let us unify the Arab struggle, 2 - May 17, 1957)
The period of secession has been a profound lesson for all combatants. It has
proved that the disunity of the Arab progressive forces can only serve
imperialism and reaction and that differences, however great they may be among
the forces of the Arab revolutionary camp, should never be allowed to exceed a
certain limit, otherwise imperialism, reaction, Zionism and the enemies of the
Arab nation will exploit them.
(In memory of the Ramadan Revolution, 3 - February 8,
1965)
The Baath party has never been hostile to communism or fought it. This is the
task of the reactionary parties and the Baath Party is not one of them.
(A speech to the branches - The Syrian region, 3 -
January 18, 1966)
These militant bases are called upon today to transcend routine classifications
and to breathe the air of the battle of destiny, the air of the objective
outlook, in order to create a new revolutionary generation and build an
indestructible base for the Arab revolution, which will bring capitulation and
fragmentation to an end and impose unity and liberation.
(The call of the historic responsibility 3 March 1971)